Chapter 18 Test Flashcards
Public policy
plans adopted by the government to handle problems and accomplish goals
Public opinion
The opinion of the general public, often unreliable, because citizens change their views all the time
Liberalism
policies that favor government action and government expansion
Conservatism
Reluctance to expand government authority, especially if it de-emphasizes individual responsibility
Moderates
Favor the middle ground between conservative and liberal positions
Domestic policy
Involves economics, law, education, health, energy, environment and civil liberties within the nation’s borders
Foreign policy
Includes diplomacy, trade relations, war, and other matters involving our relationship with other countries
Agenda
The issues the government decides to address in order of importance
The most important influence on public opinion is…
The FAMILY…followed by peers, events, media, institution, and scripture
How do you measure public opinion?
Polls and surveys
Opinion polls
Surveys of what the public thinks about particular subjects
Who created/what was the first scientific poll?
George Gallup/ Gallup polls
Representative sample
scientific average of polls
Straw polls
Informal polls/do not attempt to use valid sampling techniques
Interest group
Pressure groups: organizations/groups of citizens that try to influence government officials about a political issue or group of issues. Not a political party because it is focused on one issue.
Labor Unions
Economic interest groups/workers that seek economic benefits and better working conditions for their members
AFL-CIO
Largest labor organization in America
NRA
(National Rifle Association) supports gun rights, promotes gun safety, and opposes most gun control legislation
Single Issue Interest Groups
Groups concerned with a singular issue
Lobbying
The attempt to influence public officials to support a special interest
PAC
(Political Action Committees) Works on behalf of candidates whom the groups deem favorable to their goals.
ACLU
(American Civil Liberties Union)
Advocates positions in court cases important to their cause
Amicus Curiae
(“friend of the court”) people can write to support or go against a position to try and influence the court’s decision
Mass Media
the main means of mass communication, such as radio, television, newspapers, magazines, internet, and social media, considered collectively.
C-SPAN
A public-service network created by the American cable-television industry that covers politics
Prior Restraint Law
The government cannot review and censor information before it is presented to the public. Only exception: wartime
FOIA
(Freedom of Information Act) gives the media broad powers to investigate the federal bureaucracy’s files
Shield Laws
Freedom of confidentiality/protection while withholding information revealed by secret sources. Not legal at the federal level, but in multiple states.
Libel/Slander
Libel: PUBLISHED false statements that injure one’s reputation
Slander: ORAL communication that does the same
Limited under the First Amendment
Obscenity
Socially offensive communication
NOT protected under the First Amendment
FCC
(Federal Communications Commission) licenses and regulates American radio and television stations
Propaganda
The use of various techniques to select and manipulate information to persuade or influence people effectively
